Ten Tips for Painless Penny Pinching

Penny pinching is sometimes defined as spending what we have grudgingly. Some of us are living paycheck to paycheck and have to hang on to our pennies as long as we can. We have to make our dollars stretch. We need to use what we have without being wasteful; we need to repair and reuse whenever possible.

Penny pinching doesn't have to be painful. The truth is we are all guilty of throwing at least some of our money away. Here are ten tips for painless penny-pinching.

1) Clip coupons. Make a note of what you would have spent if you hadn't used the coupons and set this money aside.

2) Don't spend your change. Throw it all in a jar and don't turn it in until it's full. Avoid using the cash machines in grocery stores, because they deduct a percentage when you turn your coins in there. Most banks have coin counters. Some banks require you to have an account in their bank to do this service for free.

3) Do your grocery shopping alone. Your husband and children are likely to attempt to do some impulse buying. If you shop alone and stick to your list, you will spend a lot less.

4) Visit beauty schools for less expensive haircuts. The students are closely supervised and you will spend much less than you will at a regular salon.

5) Pay bills online whenever possible. The money you save on stamps will add up. Make sure there is no fee for online payments.

6) Use generic brands of medicine whenever possible, both for prescription and over-the-counter drugs. The chemicals are exactly the same.

7) Save money on dental work by receiving it from students in training. Call your local community college to find out if this is an option in your area.

8) Visit your library. Borrow books before buying them.

9) Shop at thrift stores, especially bakery thrift stores.

10) Shop with a calculator. Buy merchandise with the best unit pricing.

These are just a few tips for painless penny pinching. Sometimes we lose money just by not paying attention. Pay attention where your pennies are going, and you may find they're not disappearing as fast as they used to.

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